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hak faicde fie citizens " 
of Greenesborough, and others : 
at whose request itis published, | 
_ the following sermon is afiection-. of 
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EZEKIEL XVI. 6 & 7. { & 


Sa 

‘And when I passed by thee, and saw thee polluted in thine own 
‘blood, I said unto thee, when thou wast in thy blood, Live ; yea, 
<« | said unto thee when thou wast in thy blood, Live. I have caused 
‘thee to multiply as the bud of the field, and thou hast increased _ 
«* and waxen great, and thou art come to excellent ornaments : thy 
‘breasts are fashioned, and thine hair is grown, whereas thou wast — 


, 


«naked and bare.” ? “hs 4 


W) nen the prophet Ezekiel wrote our text, he was in Chal- 
dea,* ina state of captivity, and in a land of idolatry. ‘The 
text is 2413 yearsold. It was originally addressed to the Jew- 
ish nation, but especially to the inhabitants of Jerusalem, to call @ 
to their recollection and consideration their past and preserée 
condition, and by what means their present condition befei them. 


Fellow Christians and fellow citizens, this day is peculiariy 
important and interesting to us. Cycles of years could not 
afford to any nation or to the world, a day pregnant with more | 
religious and ‘political interest than this day which we now enjoy. ee 
iC Fe itis the weekly commemoration of one of the most event- 
ful providences, that ever took place since creation, the resur- 
reetion of Christ the son of God from a state of death : ((F° and 
itis the anniversary, the annual commemoration of the com- 
mencement of our national independence. | ‘Brethren, I consi- 
der and would have you to consider the coincidence of the Chris- 
tian Sabbath with the fourth of July this yeara noticeable pro- 
vidence, a circumstance which may prevent a world of sin and 
vanity. I hope that many pious and judicious ministers” of the 
Gospel, and their sober minded hearers will some how suitably 
improve the day 3 (not by cannon, toasts and ludicrous songs,) . * 
but by prayer and gratitude and songs of ,praise to God. 3 

ap f ba Ay ; 


oe 


To entertain and profit my audience, I will now with the spi- 
rit ef the text and coniext kept in view. . % 





*Egek. f. 3. 





6 
i eS 
i. First brie ey take notice of some of ihe various conditions of 
Israel—the kind providence of God in behalf of them—lIs- 
rael’s abuse of this Divine goodness, and the consequences to 
them of their imprudent and undutiful conduct. 
é | 
If. Secondly, present to the congregation a compentlious view 
@ and consideration of the circumstances and condition of our 
" nation from her infancy to her present maturity and prospects 
through the help aps protection of God Almighty—and » 


I. Thirdly, make some improvement of the premises. : 


According to the plan proposed I am , 

I. First briefly to take notice of some of the various pondic 
tions of Isracl—the kind providence of God in behalf of them— 
Israel’s abuse of this Divine goodness 3 and the consequences to 
them of their imprudent and undutiful conduct. 

Of the Israclitish nation, Abram was the germe or root. 
Terah, father of Abram is no where called the father of Israel. 

# He appears to have been «+ without God in the’ world.”? No- 
covenant of promise was made to him; but to Abram the son 
was the Abrahamic covenant given.© He was a native of Chal-— 
dea north of Palestine ; and or riginally an idolator, at least very 
probably such. Asa fallen creature and an idolator, and as_ 

the very embryo of Israel, he was morally and jig uratively ins 
‘chis blood.” He was spiritually and ecclesiastically an orphan. 
fn this situation God took a merciful notice of him—sent him to 
aud settled him in the land of Canaan, and promised that land 
to his posterity. Vhis land though bounded on the West by the. 
Wediterranean sea, and watered by Jordan and his tributary 
sireams, and approaching toward the waters of Sheba and 
Egypt, as well as subject to a powerfully exhaling sun; was — 
sometimes long without rain, and distressed by — drought and fa- 
mine. 


This happened to be the case Anno. Mundi 22973 before 
Christ 1707 years. See Gen. XI. 10, & XXVE- 1, & XL 566 
The first of these drove Abram to Egypt —the second drove 
Isaac to Gerar to Abimelech king of the Philistines ; and the 
third was in the days of Joseph, Abra? $ great grand gon when | 
he was prime minister, or second to Pharo ahi in Egypt. 

4 * 

The envy of Joseph’s brethren and his persecution, by va 
Ses eventuated under providence in his eminent and le 
promotion. 5 








re 


Joseph by his foresight and prudence, gifts of God, and by his 
_authority, filled the public graneries of Egypt with corn: I say 
the public’graneries, for no doubt the mass of the | eople had by 
luxury, and effeminating, unfrugal indulgence cons ied the 
productions of seven previous fat years. Joseph now “superin- 
tended the staff of life. 'The distribution of corn belonged to 


him. Gen. XL. 40.48.49 55: See these places. ¥ 





At this time (a) Israel consisted of only Jacob, his childven 
and grand children and sons’ wives, seventy by consanguinity. 
{CF At this time the hungry brothers of Joseph are impelled by 
almost starvation even in the «land of promise’’ to throw them- 
selves upon the power and mercy of their lately hated, unpitied, 
persecuted, and bartered brother for bread to save their lives. 
Now Joseph’s sheaf arose and stood upright, and his brethren’s 
sheaves stood round about and made obeisance to it. (0). By 
and by, or anon when the scene is ready “ Behold the sun, 
moon and eleven stars make obeisance to Joseph, that is his 
father and surviving kindred. ¢(c). Joseph having at length 
finished his humiliating and chastizing treatment of his breth- 
ren, revealed himself to them—sent. for his father Jacob and all 
the little church, the young infantile nation in Canaan. They 
came down to Egypt, and settled in Goshen on the borders of 
the Nile, 1706 years before the birth of Christ. Here Jacob 
lived seventeen years and died aged 147. Gen. YE 728. 
Having faith in the promise of God to his fathers, and also to 


himself. Gen. XLVI. 4. he directed his body (Gen. KLIX. 2o- 


Saré:L. 5. hig to be buried with his fathers. 


Here now in Goshen lived the little nation of the Jews, until 
they became almost Heyplionzed—lIdolators—ready to swear 
by the life of Pharaoh. ti, to do as if they did not belong to the 
Abrahamic covenant! 6 Hvil communication corrupts good 
manners’ [, Cor. 15.33. Atlength by tyranny, : erent oppres- 


sion, fatigue and even murder befel them. From national jeal- 


ousy, male children are put to death, at least ordered by SOV 
ermmuent to be put to death. Exod. [, 16. ee 

Task-masters are set over the people, and the Israelites now 
as poor slaves must « make brick without straw.’? Vhis did 
not avail to prevent. the population of Jacob 5 « But the more 
thes afflicted fhem. the more they multiplied and grew. Exod. 








(a )Gen. XXXXVi. 26. 7) Anno. M..2298. ¢6)) Gen. xxxvn. 7, 
(ce Gen, xxxvul. 9. | 





8 


I. 12. So was it with the persecuted Apostles, their cause 
spread abroad and the church increased by their persecution, 
Ww hen this, ‘oppressed people had been. in Egypt 815 vec 
from th . time that Jacob the Patriarch of the church, then net 
more ‘than seventy or eighty in number, went to live a neighbor 
to the Nile ; and 430 years after Abram left Haran to’ zo into 
Canaan Gen. XIf.40.41. when they were in the deepest dis- 
tress 5 when they ‘* were in their own blood” by religious igno- 
rance and superstition, as well as by native depra vity, and— 
especially by political degradation and misery ; when they were 
hated at home by their actual oppressors, and by the powerful 
2nd numerous nations around: when they were like a child new 
born cast out without washing, unction, salt, or cloathing (con= 






text); then when no other eye pitied them, God passed by them, 


and in compassion took notice of them, ‘and « said unto them 
live.” ele qualified, commissioned and commanded Moses fo ge_ 
to Pharaoh, and in his name demand the emancipation of his 
people. Exod. V. 1. 


For this purpose God had marvelously preserved the life of 
Moses, and promoted his pertinent education at the expence of 
the royal family : He had married him too in Midian in Arabia 
to Zippora the daughter of Ruel* thé priest of Midian. There 
he lived f6 oyty years, and became acquainted with the climate and 
eens f: the country, ‘where he was about to be the captain of 

sojourning Israel for forty years more, and where he afterwards 
wrote the Pentateuch. All things ready for it, Moses. the late’ 
refugee, appeared at court and demanded of Pharaoh the dis- 
charge of Israel with all their floc ks and herds and stuff. Nos 
with reproach is Pharaoh’s reply, Exod. V. 2. and this persisted 
in, in the face of the most awful demonstrations of the right and 
power of the God of Israel to make the demand by Moses with 
success. 


Sah 


You all know my audience. I now allude to the or plagues of 
Egypt as they are usually called. You will find a statement and 
the history of them in Exod. 7th. 12th. chapters ‘inclusive. 
These plagues consisted in extraordinary blood, frogs, lice, 
flies, murrain, boils, hail, fire, locusts, darkness, and. ithe de- 
struction of all the first born in every Egyptian family, «from 
the first born of Pharaoh, that sitteth upon his throne, even un-__ 
to the first born of the maid-servant that is behind’ the mill ; 
and all the first born of beasts. Exod. XI. 5. 





* Or Jethro, 


G i . ; , & 


eS 


it? The last plague, which took ities at midnight. ie after 
the oppressed church and state, had taken the paschal sacra- 
ment, broke the oppressors courage; and he and his people not 
only agreed to Jet.the people go. with all their property, but 
loaned them what they chose, and hurried them off, «for they 
aay we be all dead men.” EKixod. XII. 33. Me 


“Wonderous change! but not an honest and Hnambitions one. 
It was like much local and sick-bed repentance ; ; like. treaties 
made and subscribed ‘inder the influence of unfortunate battles, 
while the heart of the vanquished continaes the same, waiting 
for another effort. See the treaty of Fontainbleau, and the sub- 
sequent hattle of Waterloo—See most of the ‘treaties in Europe, 
and with Indians ; mere respirations for renewed exertions. _ 


Pharaoh seized with regret, chagrin, rage, anda fresh influx 


of ambition at his heart, pursued the emigrant-Moses and the 
emancipated people, with the flower and terrible array of ‘his 
army, and ‘overtook them at their fourth encampment at the Red- 
Sea ** over against Baal-Zephon.”? Then and there God mi- 
raculously interfered in behalf of the alarmed, and probably 
unarmed Israelites. B . 

The waters of the sea heard and obeyed his voice, ante stood 
like walls on each hand of Israel passing over on the naked 
channel : but returned and swallowed up the Me yates Pha- 
raoh with his chariots and army. Exod. XLV. 7. 9. 28. 29. 
I. Cor. 10. 2. No less than this ought the haughty eae, 
to have expected, had he duly attended to former lessons: but 
ambition, pride, and rage, blind the human mind ; and destroy- — 
ing prudence, fill it with infatuation, and a kind of idiotism, all — 


miserable calculators, foolish logicians indeed. Vow. friends, a . 


observe, that by these things, "God proved to all surviving 
Egypt, to all Israel, to all nafions adjacent, and to all mankind — 


to whom the sacred history may come, that the.God of Israel | 


was and is the true and only liciag God, and that the heathen 
and their gods were and are as grasshoppers in his eye and 


hand. Rind, XV IUI. il. Isa. XL. 22. 


a After all this testimony from. ‘God’ in favor of his power ¢ andl 
covenant goodness toward his people, they proved the weakness 
of their faith, the depravity of their hearts, and the bad effects 


of an evil habit through bad education, by their early murmur. 


ines and various wickedness. And yet God proceeded and con- 
‘descended t6 wash and dress this child; that is to org ganize 
them as.a church and ag a state. [i 


eae 


10 


From Horeb under qnniestios god-like circumstances, more 
terrific than the displays of Aitna or. Vesuvius, he gave them 
the Jaw—moral—an_ infallible compend of the duties of piety 
toward God, and of st huntoi  gace: toward men. 


That Mount Sinai was not then enveloped in fire and smoke 
on the same principle with the volcanos of Sicily and Naples, 
is evident from the sacred language, Exod. XIX. 18. and from 
the fact, that no traveller or history speaks of it as periodically 

_or otherwise disgorging from its melted bowels burning rocks 
or lava. me /. 0 nn 

The Lord also progressively gave them the come law, 
the substance of all which, had its eye upon redemption, cleans- 
ing and salvation through Jesus Christ «* the end of both the 
moral and ceremonial law to believers for righteousness.” An- 
tecedent to Christ’s incarnation, the ceremonial law was his 
symbolical Gospel, and effectually salutary to cordial OES 
believers. . 


Moreover He gave them the judicial law, containing to this 
day the most essential and useful principles | of the best systems 
of civil law now extant among. mortals.* ‘Every species of 
civil, of sacred and of military office is appointed : And yet ** be 
astonished O Heavens,” the people violate their duty ; act an 
idclatreus part, and variously and frequently so provoke the 
Lord of Hosts, that, for their humiliation, and to destroy their 
propensities toward Egypt and idolatry, he chose to detain them 
in the deserts of Akabis for forty years, feeding them all that 
time on manna and quails, a kind of birds, and watering them 
from an Arabian rock,a type of Christ, I. Cor. 10. 4. is ” 


At the close of these punitive forty years, Moses itiad at 120 
years old, after having written the Pentateuch. 0 OST, then 





* Vhis law demanded the Jife of a herders. ai um. XXXVI. 16. 17. 
BBs 19. 20.:21.30i:04; 

No commutation of punishment for murder was permitted. See 
Num. xxxv. 31. 
_ By this law theft was punished by four or five Mr ctiicrosoes or thee 





sale of an insolventthief. Exod. xxii, 1. 3. 
_ Theft committed between sun-set ang sun-Tise was a capital offence. 
“Exod. xxu. 2. 

This law demanded no money of abet anes to build and guard 
Penitentiaries to Abe tage oe in enormous expence, and a8 p paren ay 
yarious vice. 


4 » i 
Ral BaF GP Mad 





Wk ee 


ad ” 
AY 
took the command—and led on the people past the lake of Sod- 
om on the left, and to the Eastern bank of Jordan above the 
lake, and opposite to Jericho. , 

Here the Lord gave a similar proof to young Israel, to that 
given to old Israel at the Red-Sea, that he was and is the God of 
nature, the true and living God, the God of Abraham, and their 
God, now fulfilling, and about further to fulfil his promise to 
Abrahamn’s seed. 

a ; 

Subject to Divine authority the waters of Jordan go back, or 
en the peoples right hand stand still, while those on the left go 
down and leave the channel dry, so that the people, pass over 
without wading—swimming, ferriage or boat. (fF No apology 
now remained, or ever after could possibly remain for a jot of 
infidelity, idolatry, disobedience, or for a tittle of cowardice in 
conflict with enemies, this true God « whom winds and seas 
obey” being on their side. 


But alas! Friends for human nature ; those people were 
undutiful—-unthankful—hard-hearted—stiff-necked—restless— 
proud—idolatrous, discontented.—guilty often of moral and po- 
litical whoredom, uniting in the practices of profane nations— 
sometimes mixing in forbidden and impolitic wars. I. Kings 
22intoto. For these reasons God sometimes gave them up to 
famines—to pestilences—to defeats—to captivities—to ransack- 
ed cities—to have their women butchered, or dishonoured, and 
to national dispersion. Dispérsion was their case at the date of 
our text, A.M. 3,410. A. ©. 594—2,417 years ago. « 


A more expressive and awful description of the guilty causes, 
than that contained in Ezek. XVI. 15—29, cannot be imagined. 
- When the wickedness and punishments of highly favoured, and 
obliged Israel are considered in contrast with our text, and with 
the description of that Church and state in the seven verses ime: 
mediately following our text, I confess I feel humbled and asha- 
med of human nature in her depraved state. But we will pass 

over a thousand important things, the contingencies of nearly 
600 years, and take notice of the greatest kindness ever God be- 
_ stowed on the Jews, or the world, and of their greatest abuse of 
it, and the tremendous consequences to them of such abuse. | 


See John I. 11. ** He came to his own, and his own received 
him not? John ILE. 16. « God so loved the world that he gave 
his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should 
not perish but have everlasting life.’ Now hear the sentiment 


a oh ‘a Hit: 
12" 
« its i ; 
of the Jewsstated by Jesus himselfat Matt. XXHIT. « This is 
the Heir 3 come let.us kill him, and Tet us seize on his inherit- 
ance.”? Had they any just reason for mal-treating the Son and 
giftof God? Hear a question put to them by Christ himsei!, at 
John X. 52. « Many good things have I shewn you from my 
Father, for which of these good things do ye stone me 2?) 


Pilot the Roman heathen governor, pending the trial of Christ 
_ his prisoner, repeate'ly pronounced in his favor ¢¢ I find no fault 
in him.’ Luke XXII. 4.14, Joha XVIII. 38.19. 4, 6—but 
in opposition to all the Roman judge could say for his release, 
the Jews clamorously called for his crucifixion, Like an undu- 
titel, thankless, infuriated mob, their language was «¢ away with 
this man, crucify him, crucify hin.” ‘ { 


They indeed crucified him, and thus consummated their na- 
tional sin and rebellion; brought rain thereby upon their city 
and national polity, 1,100,000 deaths upon themselves, God’s 
absence from all their ordinances, and the dispersion and degra- 
dation of their nation ever.since : but | ve 


Glory to God, Christ rose again on the third day as he pre- 
dicted, and this day commemorates that resurrection, and saiva- 
tion secured by it. O! itis‘a high day! a day commemorating 
an event, which for the believer takes away the * sting of death’? 
and the gloom of the grave and of eternity, by shedding light 
on the previously doubtfal doctrine of resurrection. Without 
faith in the truth of the doctrine of resurrection, every heart 
but that of an unfeeling stoic or hardened infidel must be appalled 
at the approach of death and the grave, or through uncertainty 
of a future state. Aristotle aftér all his study. and philosophy 
could say « Fediin hance Mundum iotravi, anxius vixi, pertur- 
batus egredior, quo vadain nescio, causa CauSarum miserere mei.” 


. Welcome, welcome Holy Sabbath of Jesus.. Welcome every 
Lord’s day every week. Welcome precious conservator and 
evidence of the truth of the Christian religion, and of the solidity 
of its comforts ta the believing hearts precious guardian of our 
civil manners & of our most polished Christian morals 3 precious 
means of the best possible furniture ofthe private & public mind, 
«the knowledge of God and of Jesus Christ his Son, whom to 
Know, is eternal life.’ O! had weno Sabbath, or did we not 
observe, but all profane if, how callous to every thing spiritual 
would our minds become? how would the kingdom of satan pre- 
vail, and the rising generations be immersed in corruptions, and 
* thew own blood |”? Bee: fe, Vas 


18 bids 
far 






The profanation of the Sabbath, Mipusit directly or indirect- 
ly some of the heaviest curses of: God upon the Jews: And we 
believe honestly, that nothing is more calculated to defile and 
corrupt the principles and morals of any people, and to bring the 
displeasure of God on an enlightened nation, than the profana- 
tion of Divine institutions. Many. have been, and many there 
arc, whe taik and act asif they believed, that liberty neither was 

wor coold be complete antil alvealled Divine or human institu. 

tigus or vestraints were taken off human passions and men left 
to as wach licence as the ani#Wal creation | O! how sin has wreck- 
ed the understanding, debdsed the taste, and demoralized the 
manners aud conduct of isultitudes. 


\ 


mo) ; 
A still more P diseudtine picture night here be truly given of 
the &: io taae and conduct of some evenin high life, who ¢ use. 
their hiberty for a cloak of licentiousness,” did not Dhl, for 
the ear or eye of delicacy forbid it. 
4 
T now proceed according: to the order proposed, 

Tf. Secondly. to present to the congregation a& compendious. 
view “nd consideration of the circumstances and condition of 
our nation from her infancy toher present maturity and: pros- 
pects, through the help and protection of God- Almighty. 

North and South Amer ica jointly i is more than: one quarter of 
the terraqueous globe. It is situated, says Dr. Morse, between 
the 56th degree of South latitude and the North pole: and be- 
tween the 55th and 165th degree of West longitude ;> nearly 
10,000 miles lung, and 1,800.0r 2,000 broad. By whom this 
vast country of above 12;000,000,000 of acres of land and: 
water, a country of all climates, was first settled, no living man — 
er book known to us can tell, with any certainty, or how long is. 
has been settled ;* but certainly a long time. The sacred His- 
tory, the oldest in the world,j gives us not a word on this sub-. 
ject, unless perhaps we can force something out of that prophet- 
pale passage in Rev. XII. 14—16, « And to the woman were 
given two wings of a great eagle, that she might ty into the 
wildert 1ess,”” &e, , : 

The settlement of umeribas is not now sr he years old, orthe 
Apostles would have visited this country and. the Scriptures 
would have recordedit. Matt. XXV. 19. Mark. RVI. 15. 20. 
From the Break san of ‘the cain paren es n ran ners, peggh cus-' 





-* Dr. Morse thinks soon after the flood,. "4 Pentateuch 
Homer, 486 years. : is BA chee 


ats 


toms, &c. of the Aborigines, iti is probable they derive ‘com the, 
same ancestors; but whether from Cae. or Rei we leave 
the connoisseur to tell us. : 


In the year 1492, viz. $27 years ago; 5,500 years after cree 
ation, God- Almighty, Lord of all worlds, and Author of all use-— 
ful discoveries, by Christopher Columbus a Genoese under the 
patronage of Isabella then Queen of Spain, discovered North 
America to Europeans. «* European bigotry and avarice, tho't 
Savage infidels had no intrinsic rigit to any soil.”” In the year 
A. D. 1585, Sir Waiter Raleigh planted ; a little settlement on the 
sea-coast of North Carolina, that. part of the United States 
now, but not then called North Carolina. All’was called Vir- 
ginia by Sir Walter in compliment to his queen and Ueeetu ded 
the unmarried Elizabeth. : 


By some means this little settlement like an abortive child, alk 
perished. ‘Twenty-two years afterwards. in April 1607, the first 
permanent settlement tock place on a peninsala on the North 
side of James’ river on the coast of Virginia. The river and 
town were called James’ river and James’ town in honor of king? 
James I. then on the throne of England. (GP We are now, in 
eur 218th year since Aprillast. As Columbus was the discov- 
erer, so Sir Walter was settler of this land of our fathers, and 
of our birth or adoption. | a. 

Both those great and distinguished men, of hordte minds, 
died in contempt, or worse. Columbus died aged 59 at Vallad- 
olid, A. D. 1506. Sir Walter as the victim of envy and faction, — 

was beheaded in or about A. D.1611.% | : ¥ 


When in confinement or under duis, ie wrote his faaroles i: 
history of the world in the Old English style, weil worth read- 
ing. He was a man of very extensive reading. In a short 
time half these James’ river people perished by diseases and Ln- 
dian wars. In the course of twenty years, it is said, out of nine 


thousand settlers, 7,200 died by hardships, diseases, wars with 
the natives, &c. | : i fee 
In consequence of. persecution ind | want of religious ities, 
at home, in Sept. 1620, about five years before the death of king: 
James I, one hundred and one Puritans sailed from Europe and: 
eho a at Cape-Cod, in the November following. Thus began. 





ors Tn ther cien of James I: * His ci letter to his wife the night before 
execuuon is in the authors possession. 


in 


ay 


6 
tis 


1 


New England by a handful of people under great difficulties, 
thirteen years after James’ town in Virginia. Civil and espe- 
cially religious liberty being so desirable, between A. D. 1626 
and 1640. to avoid an oppression of conscience under the law 
for conformity, 21,2 00, emigrants came from Old to A eric’ 


land. Ap 


4 








Thus rapidly did our infant @iijen begin to grow, and the 
American Church or Churches ncrease and strengthen eun- 
der the care and protection #f God over us in our low estate. 
By accessions from almost all the dominions and regions of Ku- 


rope, and by native increase at home, favored by liberty, cheer- 


fulness anda salubrious climate, our nation grew ap from a 


few hundreds to about 3,000,000 perhaps, in the course of 168 
or 9 years, although we were much of that time cut off in great 
numbers by common mortality, as well as by wars in union with 
Great Britain with Indians, Brench and Spaniards. 


Although some hardships anditt ils of patience and prudence 
be the common lot of, mortals ;, yet under the reigns of William, 
Ann, George I, George II, and some part of George Tit, the 
harmony of the mother and daughter countries was cousidera- 
ble, and America throve, and was more than contented: She 
was even sensibly attached to the mother country, and consider- 

ably happy. | 3 | : 

Young people were brought. up to revere and iia the’ country 
that or ieinated their parents, and grandsires ; and that gener- 

-ous and instinctive spirit is not yet dead. But ithold, at length 
«6 there arose a Pharaoh that knew not Joseah” —Ham ans: that 


*hated the honor and liberty of Mordecai, and imprudently eleva- 
ted their own gallows. . An attempt cr attempts were made to > 


make us «make brick without straw,” or to tax us a free pee- 


ple, sons of British liberty and spirit, without our consent, and | 


without fair reciprocal advantage, and also to confine our com- 
merce! To confine our commerce, make the price what they 


‘pleased, and yet compel taxation, was provoking and intolera- 


‘ble, and Naptbly ‘and sensibly so to common sense and Justice. 
Es 


‘Such things i in various shapes, were attempted, by the British 
Ministry or Parliane t in the years 1764—-1765, and 1767. 
(See Frankiin’s lite, | say’s and other histories,) and. Oppo-. 
ged with a becoming: | 







band skill on the part of America at 


hame and friends. in England. Irritations now went on from Wipes 


Jess to more, until at lene: th blood was shed by British soldiers in’ 


- Boston on the 5th of March 1770. This embryo of war waslit- 


Wes 


why: 
% , hy > 
ya 


a ve 





_ 


ee 


Ss 
16 


tle cise than an affray; but a war humor was kindling very “fast, * 
In 1774, laws were passed of so oppressive a nature against 
(Boston and the Province of Massachusetts, as both provok» dd 
and invited that City and State to war 3 and such too as pro- 
voked and predisposed all the sister Provine es to demand justice 







by the sword, if it became absolutely netessary. By imperious 
necessity and w ell planned _gagasures, when Ba on was in (ise 
tress, on Se piel OL the American Congress viet in 


Philadelphia from twelve aces. In four days after, Dels- 


gates from North Carolina attended. On May 10, 1775, the 
wecond Congress met in Bela oi: 


‘Things having come to such a crisis. on. the. 19th of April 
1775. at Concord 18, and at Lexington 10 miles North West of 
Boston, were slain in battle 53 or: 54 Americans and, 65. British . 


regulars. 180 British were wounded, and 28 made prisoners. 


Now our. infant country. was «6 polluted i in her blood”? and 3 


needed the pitying eye of God. , The Revolution then indeed he- 


gan. All classes engaged in it. Pulpits, benches, the gentle- 


men of the law, and the public presses espoused the American 
cause. Pee 
Fasts and prayers unto God for hel p were : appointed ‘and ob- 
eoyes by political and religious bodics of men and individuals 5 3 
* Itis not improper to observe here, that a considerable number of 
people in Mort Carolina in the year 17 70, became discontented with 








the management of the King’s courts, and with the abuse as they. ‘cons © 


ceived of the public money ; and began in their own way to correct 


these things. Hence they assumed, or were pellge by the name of Regy 
ulators. 


In the Spring of 1571, a battle was fought between sea about a 


thousand in number, and Governor Tryon at the head of three or four 


hundred men.. The Regulators were beaten, some killed, and all di 


cha Rapin’s history of England. 


} “persed. This was followed by the imposition of the oath of allesiniite 
- by Tryon upon a large part of the Province, especially the middle and 


lower parts.. This defeat, discouragement, and oath of allegiance, 
caused hundreds of honest, but intimidated men, especially the Bae 
to be what was then called Tories; a term used in England to de gnate 
those in favor of the high handed ‘and arbitrary measures of the Crown, 

ath. 


These steps of the Scotch brought on Y # aot hewihals , 
te, and defeat by Col. Caswell, ‘after 1 svyolution really began. 
i= The above regulation measures, were in fact, of a Revolationary 


spirit, but undigested, hasty, unprotected, and they sunk instanter ter 
want of support and concentration. 


¥. 











17 


nor did the female sex refrain their appeals to God in behalf of 
their country, nor keep back their husbands and sons from bat- 
tle, #(}° On the 17th of June, 1775, the battle of Breeds, or 
Bunkers-Hill was fought, in which fell 139 Americans, and 1054 | 
British, including 19 commissioned officers besides 70 wounded ! _ 
in the very next month, viz. July 1775, the Province of Geor-~ 
gia by their Delegates appeared in Congress. All the thirteen 
Provinces are now represented and united for liberty, and « li- . 
berty or death” became the national motto. ; 


In our great distress, and need of the first military talents, © 
fortitude, integrity. and prudence, George Washington, Esq. a 
native of Virginia, of English descent, born on February 11, 
34732, was on June 15, 1775, unanimously chosen’ commander in . 
chief. He was a precious gift of God to his country and to her’ — 
armies. When elected to command he was a member of the 
second Congress, and 43 years, four months and two or three . 
days old. He had been Captain General but two days before 
the battle of Bunkers Hill. By astrong muscular body, acom- . 
prehensive and calculating mind, a cool, firm, cautious, dispas- 
sionate courage, by sympathy for the country and army, and all 
attended by a duly merciful disposition, he deserved his appoint. - 
gent. He satisied the publicexpectation. | RO. Jy 


Ah! friends,,we were then “in our blood.” The time was 
awful. Every officer from the general to the corporal ; and’ 
the regular or militia soldiers was deemed by the enemy a rebel, 
and liable not merely to be shot in battle, but hanged if taken. _ 


This doubled the danger of the field, and enhanced the hazard 
ef accepting any military, especially distinguished command. — 
Thus too it must have continued to be, until the coalescence of 
the Provinces by some official assertion and proclamation of In-. 
dependence, snould relax these dangers. "Till then to accept an’ 
office, was the height of temerity or of fortitude. (7 ‘This 
was done in Philadelphia on the 4th of July 1776. Qn tiat mem-- 
grable day Congress declared Independence.* | Bi 


ee 





% Some time § in the year 1775, the principle characters in the coun: 
ty of Mecklinburgh N. Carolina, met twice in the hall of Queen’s mu- 
seum for the purpose of digesting articles for a state constitution.— 
Numbers formally before magistrates, abjured the authority of George 
Ill, and of all foreign governments: And en an appointed day, said, 
county of Mecklinburgh generally met, and by their herald (Col. Tho-. 
mas Polk [ believe) proclaimed on the court-house stairs, indepen- 


Na 


§ May I believe. — a Se Set 


18 


This day commemorates this great event, and ascertains it te 
succeeding generations. Henceforth we were and are a nation, 
a sovereign power, and entitled to retaliate cruel abuses of the 
legitimate rights of war. ‘The very knowledge of this was a 
rock of defence for the soldiers courage. 


; * ie! 

To be summary, a thousand things must be left to be learned 
from general history. We were, to use the language in our 
text, «¢in our blood” from the 19th April, 1775, to the end of 
the war, Nov. 380, 1782. For the battles in which our blood 
was shed in the revolutionary war, you may consult history, 
Ramsay, Gorden, Marshall’s life of Washington, Weems and 
others, We mention some of the most distinguished, viz. those at | 
Bunkers Hill—Quebec—Bennington—Ticonderoga—Brandy-_ 
wine-Germanton~Trenton-—Princeton--Monmouth-—Beaufort-— 
Charleston—Savannah—Camden twice— Hanging Rock— Wax- 
haw—Sumpters—Kings Mountain—Cowpens—Guilford—’ 96— ~ 
Eutaw Springs—Little York. Here General Cornwallis ended 
his career ; and here was the grave of the British hope to tax 
America, with or without her consent. What numbers we lost 
in battle, in prison ships, by fatigue, by pestilences in camp, &c. 
we cannot certainly tell. God had mercy upon us, and * said 
unto us when we were in our blood, live,” or we must have per- 
ished, or sunk back into dependence. At certaingtimes, despair 
nearly seized upon some soldierly and honest hearts. 

; ; bn 

After our declaration of independence on July 4, 1776, which 
under God, was our political foundation-rock of national exist- 
ence 3 the states assumed respectively their political dress, their 
respective constitutions and full organization. 


We got into an «armor and altitade” which under God, 
bore us successfully through a seven years bloody war. ‘True, 


ae Nn rr 





dence of Great Britain. Capt. James Jack yet living, and now of El- 
bert county, Georgia, was sent with intelligence of these facts to Phila- 
delphia to Congress. Congress returned thanks to the county for their — 
zeal, but advised a little further patience. Of the truth of all this note, 
the author assures the public ; as he was a personal witness to the 
whole of these things, and one of the abjurors as above. Of the day 
and month, dates of these things he cannot be certain, but positively. 
knows they were done before the declaration of independence by 
Congress. If priority therefore in things of this sort, can entitle a 
state to aclaim of primary honor, the claim of North Carolina is pre-. 
eminent. Massachusetts lost the first blood, unless we allow that honor 


to the regulators of N, Carolina in 1771. 


ny 





19 


we came out of it sore and naked; but our « time was a time 
of love, and God spread his skirt ayer us ‘and covered our na- 
kedness.” Verse 8, context. “ 

Now friends, let us hear the adacoeniate language of the text 
in verse 7th, and thankfully feel what God has done for.us. «I 
have caused thee to multiply as the bud of the field, and thou 
hast increased and waxen great, and thou art come to excellent 
ornaments ; thy breasts are fashioned, and thine hair i iS SPOWNs, 
whereas thou wast naked and bare.” 

This language is fcuratvely allusive to a forlorn neglected 
child, that child by grace adopted and raised to maturity and 
prosperity by some sympathizing benevolent friend. ‘The Uni- 
ted States have indeed multiplied as the bud of the field. From 
thirteen original states to above twenty states and territories, 

Our boundary extends from New Brunswich, or from tre 64th 
degree of West longitude from London to the Pacific Ocean, 
and froin the Atlantic Ocean to the middle of the great North- 
ern Lakes. The original states cover 640,000,000 acres, inclu- 
ding Water, besides acquired territory. Our population too 
$6 has increased and waxen great’ from about ack to not much, 
if any short of ten miilions ! ; 


it Ours excels the population of Denmark “Norway 
Pee a eretch Prncsia Hollaud <Svritsetlant = Partuea, 
and will soon equal, and surmount that of Spain, England and 
Surkey, kingdoms which existed before Columbus or Vespucius 
was born. Wehave also «* come to excellent ornaments.” | Our 
Federal. Constitution is doubtless the best of the kind in the 
world, possessing too the principle of health and longevity in 
its viscera or bowels. The fifth article «is like an apple of 
gold in a picture ef silver.’ Prov. XXV. 11. and as the fourth 
evmmand in the Decalogue. We have our national and state 
legislatures constitutionally founded on the elective, not arbitra- 
ry principle ; our federal and state courts supreme and subordi- 
nate, and magistrates all over the country to keep the peace. 
(cP Whether our penitentiary prisons in stead of gallows, may 
be reckoned gmong our ornaments is yet problematical. 


Ainharbadors from Emperors wl Kings attend at the seat of 
our government, and consuls from all: distinguished powers 
- abroad are to be seen in our principal cities. Our ministers too 


dl 


are not only admitted but sought for at foreign independent _ 


courts, and there treated with the politeness and respect duc to. 
their nation. Qur ships of commerce traverse every ocean and 


* 


= 


£0 
sea ‘under American, flags and coe 3 our ships of war ‘saluteand 
are saluted at the most distinguished bays and harbors in the 
world, without insult or fear. 


<< Our breasts are fashioned.” ‘The national treasury is full— 


“and those of the particular states equal to the public nourish- 


ment. « Qur breast’s then are more than ¢ fashioned,” they 
are politically flowing. Many suck at them abundantly, and 
many more wish to do so. 


- Whether our banks be*ornaments and profitable breasts, « or 
political cancers and gangrenes, dangerous to the health and 
life of the public, experiment and the public physician, Congress 
and the state legislatures must find out. 


iF Mark it friends, the Church too is prospering; by minde 
ing her own business.. General Assemblies, Synods, Presbyte- 


-ries, Conferences, Associations, and other ecclesiastic bodies sit 
without any to make them afraid, 


The Presbyterian Church has: one general Assembly+eleven 
Synods—54 ‘Presbyteries, and above 600 learned PreAcheray 
and near 1200 congregations. 


Ministers and congregations of other denominations are great. 
Ty increased 3 and Whew Churches were burnt, or converted into 
riding-schools, better ones now accommodate the worshippers of 
the Lord of this day. * 


Great accessions of professors are made to— fis: Ch distin 
Church in America every years Many distinguished infidels 
and sceptics have seen and felt it their henor and safety to de- 
sert the service of satan, and believe and use * the sword of the 
Spirit,”? the Bible in the service of Christ! | 


Colleges, academies, and other nurserics of kesmwledice and 
piety, flourish and increase even where lately savages | and fero- 
cious beasts were common inhabitants. Nor are these all our 
excellent ornaments, we enjoy the legitimate freedom of the 
Press... Many Presses judiciously and prudently used, contri- 
bute to the convenience and advantage of both rein and sound 
policy. That Press however that is the mere instrument of 
private interest and ambition, and the channel of fulsome and 


personal abuse, deserves ‘to die the death of the unr righteous." ae 


eer. A EY I AE SOE ME ROT EE EN tee 


* What wise man would pay money to read the scribling bat battles of 
men descending below the dignity of human nature, and the delicacy of 
good breeding, to 2? ge an envious end vengeful passion ? r 


a) 


Among our other “ornaments,” and other signs of honorable 
maturity, we have Bible’Societies of great domestic and fo- 
reign importance—education societies tuo, prompting not only 
the literary and theological information of white, but also of 
black and red people 3 red people, the first owners of the soil, 
whom many would cruelly exterminate. ((7* Almighty God 
has yet, and recently bestowed another «* excellent ornament’? 
upon us—I mean an association for the colonization of free peo-. 
ple of color on the Western coasts of Africa. ‘This colony may | 
not only do other great good, but prevent or evens the misee 
ries of shipwreck on those coasts. 


‘OF this society, the first characters inthe United States are 
members ; the first talents from one to the other end of the Un- 
jon patronize the. scheme. Judge B. “Washington j is ifs presi- 
dent. Had the Rev. Dr.R. Finley never done any other good, his 

origination of this scheme stamps an eternal interest upon hie 
existence. 


The being and efforts of this socicty under the smiles of the 
country and of providence, augur the final extermination of 
oppression in the U. States in God's good time, and augur mea- 
sures or a state of consistency with the language of our -declara. 
tion of Independence on thia-day 43 years ago, <« All men are 
born equally a and liberty ig an unalienable right. 


Within the grasp of the object of this society any man ehete 
generosity or conscience cannot retain his slave, can without in- 
juring the laws or peace of his country let him go to Sierra seni 
orto the intended colony in Africa. f will now 

Hil. Thirdly, make some ys of the preuiaes * 


And now my brethren, Ict us remember the political and et- 
alesiastic size of the child, Isracl when she went down into. 
‘Egypt a refugee from famine and death 3 only 70 or 80 persons : : 
and remember too how the Lord took care of her under various 
oppression, so that she grew in numbers to become, even in sla- 
very, an object of the jealousy of one of the oldest and most 
Jearned states then upon earth. But oppression does not always 

revent the increase of the oppressed. See the number of Is- 

rael at the Exod. Without counting women or LevVites, or per- 
sons under twenty years old, the warriors alone amounted to 
603,550—Exod. XXXVI. 26. Num. I. 46. In 215 years 
seventy or eighty persons increased to this amazing number. 
This was of God, and of him keeping his covenant, and the 
people should have thought so and been thankful and obedient. 


22 


4” 


But we may safely conclude that females, and minor. boys and 


the Levites far exceeded this mumber. Call the whole 


1,800,650. 


Three hundred and seventy four years later, Israel could r raise 
1,500,000 fighting men. After God had so increased and orna- 
mented this people; after he had released them from bondage 
and had given them the land and towns of the heathen as he has 
done to us; after be had given them polity, cities, the temple, 


religious ordimances, and the knowledge of himself as the true 


God, and their God ; they were unthankful, selfish, unjust and 
oppressive to the poor; they profaned the Sabbath by finding 


their own pleasure thereon 3. and often mixed with aiae nations 
_in their baities and corrupting manners, 


" 
Le 


In this way they broke God’s covenant,—he came unthankfal, 


sand subjected themselves. at length to heavy judgments, < and 
» finally to a divorce from the natienal gos Hon of God. OF all 


the evil that befel them, they were themselves the authors. Their 
guilt too was aggravated by their sins fica ‘ing conunitted in the 


Hace of reason, and of ocolar testimony of their impropricty. 


Aaron’s rod that budded, the pot of preserved manna, the two 
tables of stone with the law thereon written by the finger of 
God were among them kept in the ark of the covenant. Num. 
AVIE. 8—10. .Heb. EX. 3.4. ‘These were all visisle memo- 
randa of miracles. Jordan too ran through their country, and 
in the middle of this river stood a pillar of twelve stones. and 


-on the Western side opposite to Jericho another of 12 stones all 


taken off the dry channel, and set up as a memorial of, their mi- 
raculous passage of that river.. Joshua lV. 3—9. ‘The sea of 
Sodom at the mouth of the river, was a warhing loud as thunder 

of the wickedness and dangér of disobedience to the ole of 


Israel. 


vty Ya 


We add that those people had no ficial apology. ree Aheie 
rejection of Christ. The perfect concord between their ‘own 


‘prophesies of His incarnation and. character, and their fulfil- 


ment inthe birth, life, doctrines and miracles of Jesus was so 


“notorious, as, in case of his rejection, and crucifixion, to. infer. 


upon them atrocious sin, signal punishment, the loss of their 


polity, of their compact residence, lands, cities, temple and or- 
ganized religion. Sno ee 


In addition to these things, what cternal curses fell or may 


yet fall on them, it-is the. prerogative of the infinite omniscient 
God to know. 3 4% vita 


apes , 8 ae 9] 
a ys ; ‘ 


* Z 

With nothing now can we close our remarks on this part of our 
subject better than the tollowing sacred passages. « For what- 
«s soever things were written saforetime, were written for our 
élearning. Rom. XY, 4. Neither murmur ye, as some of 
‘‘them also murmured, and were destroyed of the destroyer. 
«¢ Now all these things happened unto them for examples: and 
és they are written aa our admonition on nh whom the ends of the 
«© world are come.” And now : 


If. With pious wonder and rea thal to God, Iet us remember 
and compare our original state in A. D. 1586 and 1607, with 
ur presént condition ! With the same temper also we would-take 
notice that our original thirteen provinces under the nurture of 
God by climate, industry, and simplicity of manners and living, 
increased more in population, between A, D. 1607 and 1774, 2 
terin of 167 years, than Israel did in an unvirtuous, vitiating 
and enslaving country in twe hundred and fifteen years. Itis 
fit we should gratefully remember to day the protection of the 
Lord, while we waded through seven long years of bloody war, 
entirely defensive en our side. The Almighty gave us union, 
courage, and means of defence, or our dependence and subjec- 
tion to foreign and involuntary taxation and obedience must have 
continued. A people separa ated from Europe by 3000 miles of 
water, and covering a tract of land compared to which Great 
Britain might be catled a garden! A people 3.060,000 in nuin- 
ber must have continued to bow in matters of law and trade to 
the veto of one man of no superior sense and integri t# to 
thousands of our farmers. wy om 


Thanks to God this day for our national existence, indepen- 
dence, maturity, extension, improvement, and influence upon 
and peace with the civilized, heathen and savage wortd. (C7? Ob- 
serve my audience, that itis not our duty or our dignity to cher- 
ish either a national or individual spirit of wrath and bad neigh- 
borhoad with these who have been enemies. ‘he Indians, abo- 
riginal owners of the ah we possess, deserve our pity and 
Christian generosity. ‘Phis was the land of their fathers for 
time immemorial. ‘Phe very brute reluctantly gives up. his pas- 
ture or his bed. We need not wonder that England, say lord 
North and such & aracters strugeled to retain us in subservient 
subordination, - rehit harder a do it than any other power 
to whom we née elonged W uold have done, - “How did Old 
Spain shed her blood for her independence of Napoleon? How 
does she HON nae si hed her blood and treasure to keep 
her yoke on the necka of the South Americans, although the 


kate 
74 ’ . = = L- 
‘dis Pe. eae 









* ’ 


_-ssuccessful revolt of North America might teach her more wis- 
dom? But it is natural. We see the principle and the practice - 
in the animal world, from their highest to their lowest grades. 
Men and nations are @nimal as well as rational in their nature, 
and often, even in great national concerns domestic and foreign, 
the animal preponderates reason, prudence, modesty and justice. 


The battle has been fought-—victory is ours—we have made 
peace—let us cherish it without hypecrisy. Even animals when 
the conflict is over, will associate and chew the cud together, 
forgetting the spirit of revenge, | 

Man is a noble being « but a little lower than an angel,” and 
all men in order of being are brothers. The Gospel tells us 
«6 He that hateth his brother is a murderer; and ye know that 
no murderer hath eternal life abiding in him.” I John 3. 15, 
Hence we think that those public papers in either side of the 
great water, devoted to preserve and propagate a malignant 
temper between nations at peace, and whose mutual friendship 
is mutual blessing, are not in the true service of God and of 
mankind. To indame human pride, passion and wat, is a direct 
imitation of Apolyon—James LY. 1. 2... 

My dear brethren, Ict us religsetisly rejoice and be thankful 
this day, that «* when we were polluted in our blood, and naked 
and bare,* God washed us—-anointed our wounds—spread his 
skirt over us 5” and that he has multiplied ust and ornamented 
us ita remarkable degree ; and that he has made us so _ politi- 
cally respectable as to command the respect of powers who com- 
mand 30 or 40,000,000 of people. Our Campbell is at. Peters- 
burg—Our Gallatin at Paris, and our Rush at London, &c. é 
Now friends hear me say, no foreign nation however numerous — 
by sea or land, can destroy our independence ; nor do I believe. 
there is the most remote hope of it in the Breast of any foreign 
cabinet: But we may destroy it ourselves. While and as long 
as the Jews had truly pious governors at their head, and feared 
and obeyed the Lord their God, no adjaceat or distant nation 

could make any injurious impression upon them. ¢* One of them 


could chase ten, and ten could pet an hundred or thousand to > 
Hight,” 









* Numbers at the close of the war had neit 

gound raiment to put on ; so hadthey been pl 
{ See the present number of states§ and the American census: in , 

me) pe i¢ Ba 

1010; 7,230,514. On these prospects some of our American pooty 

almost prophesied. Col. Liumphries, Barlow, &c. | 

§ 24 or more states and territories. 


shige Shes ot Aa . 
* # ‘ 7 tT esas 
4M q 4 ¥ 
ik 


he 


-covering, not 








God, if he be anery, fan dismay the hearts and distract the 
councils of men. Judges XX. 20—5, Il. Sam. 15. 31. IIL. 


Kings 19, 35. 


At a time when God was displeased with Israel, 26,700 Bene | 


jamites slew in two battles, 40,000 men of the opposite army of 
Israel consisting of 400,000 «* men of war.” In the third ac- 
tion 25,100 Benjamites were slain. Judges XX. 35. In all 
these battles God presided, ax the defeat or success was as he 
chose it should be. Tee Hither ae : 


Let us fear, love and obey the God of heaven and of armieg, 
_and satan cannot concert and combine as much power as can re- 
duce and annihilate our nation. But should we like Israel for- 
get and disrespect the Lord our redeemer and deliverer ; and by 


vice, luxury, effeminating pride and manners, and by state and 


family rivalships bring dow the Divine displeasure upon us, 
even our ** Federal Constitution,” the best in ‘the world, could 
not save us. Should the American people, especially those in 
power and influeuce become infidel, impious, and selfish, our 
vast bounds might become as convenient a theatre for military 
ambitious partizans and ciyi{ blood, as the « Orbis Terrarum’” 
ever did. Except so far as she is meliorated and modified by 
civilization, and especially the Gospel, human nature is always 
the same. But we trust in God, who has raised us so rapidly to 


conspicuous greatness, that he yuill make us more than politically ~ 


wise and great, make us religiously so too. | 

| at a ey ' 

Finally friends, hear a fatlier’s—a friend’s and a pastor’s ob- 
servation :— oe | | eae. 


As sure as the annitMith of July, commemorates a political 
certainty, the declaration of ingependence, of great consequence 
to us and alarge share of the world: so surely does this Sab- 


bath commemorate a certainty of greater importance to the 


whole world, the resurrection of Jesus Christ from death and 
the grave ; and anticipates ar‘everlasting rest for believers, 
who do their faithful duty to God and man. Let us duly then, 
respect, regard, and improve the constitutional laws of our 
country ; let the public make a judicious use of the elective pow- 
er, a terror to bad men—and lg duly appreciate and improve 
the Holy days and laws of our Lord Jesus Christ, the gracious 


Author of our independence and religious liberty, and we shall | 


certainly be blessed. AMEN. 








a 








ee 











